Ambridge man waives hearing in fatal accident case

Thursday

BEAVER — An Ambridge man who is facing various charges, including homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Thursday.

Robert R. Banko, 24, of 821 10th St. was charged by Harmony Township police after a July 17 accident. Police said Banko was driving drunk on Route 989 when he drifted over the center line and hit a motorcycle driven by David Anderson Cook, 35, of Economy. Cook died as a result of blunt force trauma he suffered in the accident.

Police said Banko ran from the scene of the accident, and after he was caught refused to talk to the police or take a blood-alcohol test. Police obtained a search warrant to obtain a blood sample, and nearly three hours after the accident, he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.17 percent.

In addition to the homicide by vehicle charge, Banko was charged with drunken driving, causing an accident involving injury and causing an accident involving injury while not properly licensed.

Banko also waived his right to a preliminary hearing in a separate case in which he was charged by Ambridge police in May with driving on a suspended license and giving a false identification to police.

Banko has been in the Beaver County Jail since the accident on $50,000 bond.

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